mechanical filtration ideas

[Charney]

I am looking for some mechanical filtration ideas. I have a very tight fish room so i cant fit anything behind the tank or on the floor. The setup is two 125s tied together. Each has three large sponge filters and a k1 sump in between. One side is a black devil cat. The other are three ray grow outs. The rays produce more waste than the previous residents plus i am feeding more. Tank is also on a drip.

 

[tlindsey]

I am looking for some mechanical filtration ideas. I have a very tight fish room so i cant fit anything behind the tank or on the floor. The setup is two 125s tied together. Each has three large sponge filters and a k1 sump in between. One side is a black devil cat. The other are three ray grow outs. The rays produce more waste than the previous residents plus i am feeding more. Tank is also on a drip.View attachment 1452214View attachment 1452215View attachment 1452216View attachment 1452214

duanes

 

[Toby_H]

Rarely do I set up tanks with the expectation of my filtration to do all the clean up. But I do utilize my filtration to make my job of cleaning up as easy as practical. My typical approach is to set up my outputs to push waste/debris into isolated area(s). Then spot check them with a siphon to pull it out. Display tanks get that treatment more often, non-display tanks get it less often.

That said, Id first try to move the existing outputs to roll waste along the floor to one end. If that doesn't work I'd look into adding a powerhead or two to do the same.

It looks like it's been a while since you've cleaned the sponge filters. When I had a fishroom using lots of sponge filters I'd stick a 1 gal pitcher in the tank. Gently move the sponge filter into the pitcher. Lift it up, squeeze it a few times and replace it. My goal being to get the physical waste off the outside but not to dislodge too much of the good stuff in the center of the filter. Cleaning them more often also increased their flowrates making them more effective mechanical filters.

 

[Charney]

Thank you for your reply. The sponges get cleaned weekly. I feed the tank heavily and do my maintenance on Monday nights.

I do a lot of maintenance in my room weekly. I am looking for ideas for mechanical filtration builds.

 

[fishdance]

for rays I would use a small pool sand filter with a multiport valve but you do need to back flush clean regularly before it cakes up. quick & easy but does waste water. you can either have a second higher pressure water pump for the back flush cycle or use a single variable flow pump that can be dialed up higher for flush then return to lower flow for filtration cycle.

If you require less maintenance then consider a self cleaning rotating drum if your budget allows. the combination ones with moving bed section would allow you to replace yours.

If you had more space, the best & simplest mechanical filter is a large settlement tank. kept outside. say 25,000 L rain tank . Just pull clean water from the top, have a bottom drain for yearly flush out of accumulated crap that drops out when water velocity slows. there are no moving parts or items to fail. your rays would appreciate the extra water in system.

 

[twentyleagues]

for rays I would use a small pool sand filter with a multiport valve but you do need to back flush clean regularly before it cakes up. quick & easy but does waste water. you can either have a second higher pressure water pump for the back flush cycle or use a single variable flow pump that can be dialed up higher for flush then return to lower flow for filtration cycle.

If you require less maintenance then consider a self cleaning rotating drum if your budget allows. the combination ones with moving bed section would allow you to replace yours.

If you had more space, the best & simplest mechanical filter is a large settlement tank. kept outside. say 25,000 L rain tank . Just pull clean water from the top, have a bottom drain for yearly flush out of accumulated crap that drops out when water velocity slows. there are no moving parts or items to fail. your rays would appreciate the extra water in system.

At my old house I used a version of a settlement/swirl filter on my systems. A 55g drum with filter socks and the water was returned from higher up in the drum to the sump and through more filter socks. During waterchanges I had a valve in the bottom of the drum I'd open and flush out the trapped debris. Flow in the tank would keep debris suspended and sent down the overflows. Are those tanks drilled? If they are not maybe a canister filter or hob with just mech filtration in them.